Means for vertically raising and lowering aeroplanes



W. WARDELL July 28, 1931.

MEANS FOR VERTICALLY RAISING AND LOWERING AEROPLANES PM Mu .N N 3 ml 3 b. 19 4. n 3 M m u u J E r v m m. k W4 H o\ 9N Q\\ A m m t 10 I A dd H b v NAWN Q w Y 7 5 six E m EMN F i1ed Aug. 22, 1927 Patented July 2 8, 1931 V UNITED i STATES- PATENT OFFICE;

WILLIAM WARDELL, OF LOS ANGELES, oALIrORNrA, ASSIGNOR, BY MnsNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO DRAGON FLY AERO CORPORATION, L'rn, A CORPORATION OF NEVADA- MEANS FOR VERTICALLY RAISING AND LOWERING AERQIPLANES Application filed August 22, 1927. Serial Ho. 214,673.

This device relates to a passenger carrying aeroplane and more particularly to means for causing such aeroplanes to be elevated,

A still further object is to provide a safety 1 device for aeroplanes, so that in the event the aeroplane propeller becomes disabled, an aeroplane willnot crash to the ground,

but will be able to descend safely.

The invention resides in the parts, an combination of parts more particularly hereinafter referred to.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the-accompanying drawings, the subjoined detail description and the appended claims. v

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention in the form I at present deem preferable. I V r Figure 1 is a longitudinal axial sectional view through an aeroplane, having attached thereto my novel raising and lowering means. i I

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on line 002, Fig. 1. a

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 1133,

Fig. 2, showing one of the aeroplane raising and lowering propellers mounted in its associated tube.

Fig. 4 is a view analogous to Fig. 3, taken on line m4, Fig. 2 showing the arrangement of another propeller adapted for use in raising and lowering the aeroplane.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view taken on line 1205, Fig. 2, showing the operating connections for the aeroplane raising and lowering propellers.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view showing the means for supporting the raising and lowering propeller shaft, and

the drive "shaft therefor.

Fig. is a fragmental sectional view on line m7, Fig. 6. .4 n

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view on line 'a28 and partly on line 003, Fig.

2, showing in detail the upper supporting means for the aeroplane raising and loWer-,

ing propeller shaf F ig." 9 is a fragmental bottom view ofthe' means for supporting the upper end of the vertical shaft. A VT My invention is used in combination with an aeroplane 1 that has a propelling motor 2 which drives propeller 3 through the me-- dium of shaft 4 that is connected to engine 2 through any suitable clutch b that may be operated by any usual operating means The usual rudder 5 from the pilot seat. mounted at the rear of the aeroplane is-provided for guiding the same. Wings 6 comprising upper andlower wings 7 and 8mspectlvely are provided on each side of the body 9 of the aeroplane 1 at the front and rear thereof. r

The body 9 is provided with aplurality of seats 10 adapted to carry passengers and windows 11 are provided for observation purposes. My invention particularly comprises a compartment 12 formed on the under side of the body 9 by front and rear end walls 13 and 14 respectively and side walls 15. The end walls and side walls 13, 1 1 and 15 depend from the under side of the body. r

. A plurality of tubes 16 are secured to the under side of the aeroplane in the chamber 12 and the center line of said tubes extends at right angles to the longitudinal axial centerline of the aeroplane 1. :A plurality of propellers 17 having a radius slightly smaller than the diameter of the tubes 16' are fixed to'a vertically supported driven shaft 18 by any suitable means ,such'as a set' suitable means such as a U-shaped strap 21" that is fixed to the tubes 16 by any suitable means, such aswelding. The rod21 extends from end to end of the tubes 16 and is provided with cup bearings 22 in which the lower end of the vertically driven shafts 18, are journaled. The upper ends of shafts 18 are journaled in coilar bearings 23 that are each provided with a ball race 24; The collar bearings 23 are fixed to the bottom of .the aeroplane body 9 by any suitable 'means, such as bolts 25.

The main shaft 26 extends acrossthe open ends'of tubes 16 and is operably supported therefrom by means, of U-shaped straps 27 -,,that carryball races 28 in which the shaft 26 is journaled. The ends of shaft 26 may 'journaled in bearing. members 29 secured to the end walls 13 and 14.

Gears 30 are fixed to shaft 26 by any suitable means, such askeys 31, and said 30 respectively mesh with gears that are loosely mounted on rod 21 and are held in operable position thereon by means of a collar 33,. The bevel'gears 32 integrally connected with gears 32 are in mesh with driven bevel gearsf3t that are fixed to shafts 18.

The drive-shaft 26. is rotated in' the direction of the arrow A, Fig. 1, by means of a shaft 34 that is connected to engine 1. A. =clutch 35 operable by any suitable means such as lever 3.6 is interposedbetween the engine 2 and the drive shaft 84 so as to permit disengagement of the motor power therefrom. w

Short supporting members 37 are pro vided at each corner of the compartment 12, and are adapted to prevent the compartment 12 and the vertically raising and lower ing means mounted therein from engaging the ground or supporting surface when the aeroplane'is not in use..

In operation the motor is started in the usual manner, the clutch b disengaged and theclutch 35 engaged to operate the driveshaft 26 which in turn rotates the vertical shafts 18 through the medium of the gears 30, 32, 32 and 34; By such operation of the vertical shafts 18 the propellers 17 are rotated and which rotation causes the lower propellers e to force air outof tubes 16 and the two upper propellersc and d will then tend to force the air in tubes 16 upwardly against the bottom 20 of the aeroplane body 9, therebycooperat-ing with the major por- .;T tion of the under surface: of the aeroplane body 9 to force the aeroplane upwardly and the tubes 16 being closed at their upper ends, the air directed upwardly by the two upper propellers 0 and (Z will be forced out of the tube along the outer edge thereof where the lower propellers 0 will force the same outof the tubes.

By thus causing the air in tubes-16 to be i forced upwardly and downwardly a pressure is created in the tubes 16 and such pressure will be greatest in the space between the propellers cl and e and such pressure when forced out of the tube by the lowerpropeller-e assists in raising the aeroplane from the ground in a vertlcal direction.

The speedat which the propellers 17 are operated determines the rate of speed at which the aeroplane will be lifted from the ground and it will be apparent that by slowing down such speed of the-propellers 17 to a predetermined revolution that the aeroplanlemay be gradually lowered or held.

in any position with respect to its altitude.

After obtaining the desired altitude the clutch b is engaged to apply power to pro.- peller 3'after which the clutch 35 maybe disengaged and the aeroplane will be moved forward as is common in the art. If, desired the clutches b and 35 mayboth remain in engagement after the aeroplane hasbeen elevated a suilicient distance vtoavoid env gagement with objects that would hinder the travel of the aeroplane. l

I claim: i 1. An aeroplane comprising ,a passenger carrying body; tubesclosed at one end and open at the other end and secured to the underside of said body, said tubesbeingpositioned relative to said body so that the tubes open away from said body; a shaft .moun'ted in each of said tubes; propellers secured to the shafts; and means for operating said propellers.

2. An aeroplane comprising a body; tubes open at one, end and closed at the otherfend and. secured to the: under side of said body with the closed end of said tubes adjacent said body; a vertical shaft mounted in each of said tubes; a plurality of propellers for each ofthe shafts and fixed thereto, certain of said propellers being adapted. to force air out of said tubes away from said body; and means for operating the. shafts to drive said propellers.

3. An aeroplane comprising a body, tubes closed at one'end and open at the other. end and fixed to the under side of said body; a shaft mounted in each of said tubes; aplurality of propellers for each of the shafts and fixed thereto; certain of said propellers being adapted to force air outwardly from- 4. An aeroplane comprising a body, tubes open at one end and closed at the other end and secured to the under side of said body with the closed end of said tubes adjacent said body, propellers rotatably mounted in said tubes; a driveshaft extending across said tubes; and means operably connecting said driveshaft and said propellers in said tubes.

5. An aeroplane comprising a body, tubes secured to the under side of said body, a vertical shaft for each of said tubes and disposed therein; propellers for each of the vertical shafts andfixed thereto; a 'driveshaft extending across said tubes; a rod extending across said tubes said vertical shafts being mounted for rotation with one of their ends journaled in the rod; gears loosely mounted on said rod and adapted to drive the vertical shafts; gears on said driveshaft in engagement with said loosely mounted gears; and means to rotate said'driveshaft to rotate said propellers. v

6. An aeroplane comprising a body, tubes secured to the under side of said body; a

shaft in each of said tubes; three propellers for each shaft and being fixed thereto; one of said propellers of each shaft being adapted to force air away from said aeroplane body and the other two of said propellers being adapted and arranged to force air to-- Wards said aeroplane body and means for rotating said propellers.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 15th day of August, 1927.

WILLIAM WARDELL. 

